A process for the elimination or prevention of strapping-caused downtime on such machines is known from DE-PS 38 25 668. In this patent, the strapping--primarily thermoplastic synthetic strap or also steel band--contained in the machine is, in case of trouble, pulled out of the machine in a direction opposite to the feed direction of the strapping, by running the strapping coil in reverse. Therefore, in eliminating a strapping-caused malfunction, it is not necessary to perform any repair or corrective work upon the machine, but the strapping can be more swiftly prepared for re-insertion into the machine as a result of repair work performed upon the strapping material outside the machine. Thus, this process shortens a machine breakdown in time respects.
This prior process has proved itself extremely well. However, the duration of the work to be performed outside the machine in conjunction with eliminating damaged spots on the strapping can hardly be influenced, except for the skill applied in doing the manual work, so that corresponding machine downtime must be accepted.